Should I learn on an electric uke

I was thinking about learning on an Pono chambered acacia electric uke. I already have used Kala spruce top I'm using but I live in an apartment and the neighbors have voiced their concerns about hearing it. So I'm considering the Pono hoping unplugged it would be good enough to practice and learn on. If and when I jam with somebody I could plug into an acoustic amp. Anybody doing this already? Opinions and thoughts would be appreciated. I'm looking at the Pono because of the plugged in sound sample on their site.

The Pono TE is a wonderful instrument. It is quieter than other ukes (which is a good thing, in this case), but it can still be heard perfectly well unplugged. I don't know if it would solve the issue with your neighbours. To reduce volume even further, it would take an all solid body instrument (or one without body like the Risa Solid Stick), that you could plug into an amp and play with headphones.

Another alternative for practicing quietly at night: I find that my Romero Creations XS Soprano is similar in volume to the Pono TE, but has a bit more of an "acoustic" sound. Hope that helps!

I live in an apartment and the neighbors have voiced their concerns about hearing it.

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Have the neighbors just "voiced their concerns" or have they actually complained about the noise? I live in a block of flats (apartment block) and have spoken to all my neighbours. None of them hear my music unless I've got the windows open ... and that includes various whistles, a banjo, a flute and a clarinet ..... several guitars .... etc. etc.

I try to be "sensible", the clarinet doesn't come out at 11 in the evening, the jumbo guitars don't get thrashed first thing on Sunday morning, other than that, no problem.

I appreciate that building design and playing style may have a bearing on the matter, but my downstairs neighbour doesn't even know I'm playing my Kala when she rings my front door bell, let alone when she's at home behind her own door!

If your circumstances are significantly different, I'm sorry ... stuffing the proverbial sock in it might help

I have a Vox Ukelectric that has a little speaker in the front and is powered by a 9v battery. It constructed more like an electric guitar than a uke. I use it "Off" just like you might when I dont want anyone but me hearing it, late at night and other times I dont want to wake up my family. It is very quiet in the off position.

Your neighbors "have voiced their concerns about hearing it?" Wow, some anal neighbors you have there. Unless all of the windows are open, and you are intentionally playing as loud as you can, I doubt anyone will hear that Kala outside of your apartment. if that's the only reason you want the Pono.

As long as the amp has a headphone jack, you can jam loudly in complete silence, so to speak. Also, there are headphone amps that plug directly into the ukes jack. Unless you just covet that Pono, for a lot less money you can get a nice little Teton or Eleuke with an MP3 jack so that regular headphones will work with it.

A Risa stick is almost silent unplugged. You will need a small amp to use headphones. I use a Digitech RP360 as an all around headphone amp/ usb computer interface.

The build quality of a Risa is excellent. I needed to shield the jack cavity on mine I used a foil tape.

~peace~

Yes my neighbor has a dog that actually is the cause for the complaint, the dog will start barking and this happens even when walking past the neighbors apartment. I know the cure would be to train the dog or whatever but the neighbor is the landlord. I normally play my electric bass with headphones no problem. The reason for the Pono idea was that it comes setup from HMS. I had my Kala setup but it ended up costing around $130 with a fret dress and whatever plus around 10 percent tax. Things are pricey in Northern California. Guitar center was the cheapest setup place I could find around San Francisco the other shops wanted more and another said a Kala wasn't worth doing a setup on. ( They only sell high end ukes and acoustic guitars )

Weird neighbor/landlord. If the dog barked when you watched TV, ran the vacuum, hair dryer, the shower, snored, laughed, or chatted with a few friends, would you not be allowed to do that also? If you have just a tiny bit of mechanical or craft skills, minor setup jobs are not rocket science. Those requiring major setups to play properly should be returned. I have a some ukes I purchased without setups that didn't need them. When practicing my strumming/learning new strumming patterns, I mute my strings.

Here's how to do set up work. I've used a metal diamond nail file to carefully smooth rough fret ends. Can protect the uke with painter's tape.

http://uke4u.com/how-to-do-a-ukulele-setup-tutorial/

I live in a condo in Chicagoland and the Pono TE and KoOlau CE are outstanding for playing unplugged. I agree with Rakekeles comment: perfectly audible and good unplugged, plus it feels great in the hands, love the thin weightiness of those ukes and, frankly, even though I could use a regular uke, I still play the Pono TE/KoOlau CE unplugged to practice as much if not more than my regular ukes. They are also superb for sitting back and playing leisurely on the couch, or in front of your computer with legs up, because of the thinness. I think it would solve your issue.

I do not like the RiSa sticks, although I still own a soprano stick now which I would only use for plane travel. Awkward body size makes the strap mandatory, and it just feels weird to me...headless and body-less. The pickup on these is quite fickle, and I have read many threads about buzzing pickups on Risas. Mine, too. I never had that issue with any of my three chambered body ukes. Over time, I've become less of a fan of those ukes, except for compact travel.

Your instinct is right, a POno TE will solve your problem, methinks.

I do not own a Pono TE but have played one many times. I definitely second all the good things that have been said about it.

I think the feel is different on an electric uke than an acoustic, but I can't see the acoustic being very loud. Unless you are singing lustily. Even then---

I have an eleuke however, and you can wear headphones which would make it pretty quiet. It's a pretty nice uke and you can get some fun effects. I think your landlord is a twit, but the world is full of twits. I haven't used the Pono but as has been said, it gets a lot of love around here.

Please don't buy the Pono TE Acacia Gloss on HMS. I am saving up for it, heh

Calhawaii said:

I was thinking about learning on an Pono chambered acacia electric uke. I already have used Kala spruce top I'm using but I live in an apartment and the neighbors have voiced their concerns about hearing it. So I'm considering the Pono hoping unplugged it would be good enough to practice and learn on. If and when I jam with somebody I could plug into an acoustic amp. Anybody doing this already? Opinions and thoughts would be appreciated. I'm looking at the Pono because of the plugged in sound sample on their site.

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If the walls are that thin between apartments, don't have any serious conversations with anyone..

If by an electric you mean an electric-acoustic, just don't plug in an amp. If you mean a true electric like the RISA, just get a mini amp (lik the Honeytone) and run headsets through it. If your neighbors really tick you off, get a banjolele, attach a piezo pickup to it, add a ten watt amp and rock on.

As far as learning the instrument - any size, any make will do fine. Just find something that feels comfortable with the left hand (assuming you are playing right-handed). Enjoy the ride!